1103. McCarthy, James F. “Jay”. Collision at Sea – The True Story of the Collision and Sinking of U.S.C.G. Lightship RELIEF LV-78 / WAL-505, and Other Memories and Photos of Life Aboard RELIEF Lightship 78/505. Infinity. 2010. 84p. Lightships were often called floating lighthouses – they were stationed where it would not be practicable to place a lighthouse, in exposed and dangerous locations, such as, far out to sea in deep water, close in to shore with soft sandy bottoms or treacherous and shifting shoals, in busy shipping channels or wherever maritime needs dictated. Often, the defenseless lightship, anchored and incapable of avoiding a collision, paid the ultimate price for remaining in this hazardous and vulnerable position. This is a true story of one such collision. The author, James F. “Jay” McCarthy, served 2 years on the RELIEF Lightship LV-78/WAL-505. He speaks with firsthand knowledge of the ship and crew. He was shipmates with a number of the crew that survived the collision by the freighter SS Green Bay and the sinking of the lightship. He tells the whole story – pre-collision, collision and post-collision and draws from excerpts of the Official U.S.C.G. Joint Marine Board of Investigation into the collision between the SS Green Bay and the USCG Lightship RELIEF 78 / WAL 505, and the survivors story, as told largely in the words and memories of RELIEF LV 78/505 survivor Bobbie R. Pierce, BM3. He attempts to tell this story in chronological order, with a view into what was occurring on both ships during this timeframe. Most interesting look into the lives and dangers of these “lightship sailors”. Well illustrated with crew and ship photos. (M). $11.95. (x)